A partnership between the boutique holiday company, Creative Escapes and a Director of Scotland’s celebrated independent publisher, Canongate Books, is launching the ultimate creative writing holiday in Marrakesh – for 11-15th September 2013.

This unique retreat combines expert tuition with luxury accommodation, top notch food and all the extras the Creative Escapes programme routinely lays on.

The tutorial team is led by:

Carol Birch is the author of 10 novels, the latest of which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2011. Carol was also shortlisted for Waterstones Author of the Year at the National Book Awards. She has also won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and the David Higham Award for Best First Novel.

Angela Robertson, Publicity Director at Canongate Books. With over 20 years of experience in the industry , Angela has worked with a wide range of authors including Phillip Pullman, Nick Cave and Michel Faber. She also runs Book Slam, London’s biggest literary club night. www.bookslam.com

The course covers both the craft and the business of writing. Designed to benefit writers at any stage of development, from complete beginners to those with a finished manuscript, it aims to cover everything from getting started to how to submit to an agent, find the right publisher – and ways to self-publish. This is a route increasingly followed today and has led to the discovery of some exciting new writers – as well as a welter of porridge.

The course takes place at Tigmi, a luxury hideaway on the outskirts of Marrakesh, overlooking the Atlas mountains, with pool, spa, charming gardens and Moroccan-themed rooms.

By night the nearby market of Jemma El-Fina comes alive with the smell of food and the babble of snake charmers and storytellers. A magical place and a real treat for the senses, Marrakesh is described as ‘the perfect place for aspiring writers to ignite their creativity’ – although it might well be a highly enjoyable distraction from getting down to work.